


Spectrum

by Artwo



Category: Dragon Age
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-01-25
Updated: 2013-01-25
Packaged: 2017-11-26 22:53:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,080
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/655265
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Artwo/pseuds/Artwo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Scarred at a young age by acts of atrocity, Sabari Mahariel feels justified in her hatred toward shemlen. As the world shatters around her, she must make a choice whether to fight to save the very ones who have oppressed her kind for centuries, or to watch them burn. Thanks be to Bioware for creating this awesome playground!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Spectrum

_ **Spectrum – a DragonAge fanfic** _

  _Prologue_

_Mist swaddled the verdant land in its early morning embrace. Hills carpeted in green rolled ever onward, their undulating pattern occasionally interrupted by the curving river that rushed east towards the Amaranthine Ocean. Pungent firs, ancient oaks with their towering arms, and hundreds of other trees dotted the landscape and conglomerated in several areas. One such concentration of trees in the Brecilian forest was the current home one of the few nomadic tribes of Dalish that lived in the forest – ever moving, ever watchful, these keepers of old lore and tradition were constantly on alert for any sign of interruption to their peaceful existence._

_  
__A young elven girl sat quietly outside of her family’s aravel, her skinny legs tucked underneath her, and her simple skirted tunic in disarray from her early morning romp through the forest with her friends. Her back was held straight, and large, luminous green eyes shadowed by straight, raven hair were fixed on her father’s form as he walked closer. He would not punish her – of that she had no fear – it was common for the youngsters of the clan to carouse and get dirty. Today was a special day, a day that the girl had been looking forward to for months – the day her father had promised to take her tracking in the forest. As he approached, his normally serious face softened at the sight of his only daughter. He nodded, and motioned for her to come along. She sprang to her feet, a smile of delight crossing her features._  

 _The pair treaded silently into the woods, pausing often as father imparted knowledge to daughter. She absorbed all of the information that her young mind could retain, paying especially close attention when he spoke of the animals in the forest and their unique personalities and quirks. Wide-eyed, she gasped when he told her of the wolves – cunning, lethal, fiercely protective and pack-oriented – they had many similarities to their clan._  

 _As the day turned cooler and the sun began to dip below the horizon, casting brilliant rays of red and orange light onto the hills, the pair turned home. She had been told the names of what must have been every tree in the forest, and had learned where the squirrels liked to hide their caches for the winter, and how to navigate her way by looking at the moss on the trees – nothing, though, was held as tightly in her mind as the description of the wolves._  

_As the seasons passed, the girl became all that her father had molded her to be. Though still wary of humans, her parents had taught her that not all men were to be feared – a distinctly controversial topic within the clan. She maintained her views on the subject, thoroughly convinced that her parents were right._

_Tragedy struck two seasons later._  

 _Harsh and unfamiliar voices in the forest… the whinny of a horse… the sound of drawn steel… her mother’s scream…_  

 _Eventually, the fractured memories faded to a dull scar on her soul, only to be replaced by a burning hatred. Her parents had been wrong. Fatally wrong._  

_Humans were not to be trusted._

(-IOI-) 

 

Tamlen stood with his bowstring pulled taut, ready to loose an arrow if any of the humans in front of him dared to move. "What are you _shems_ doing here?" he demanded, blue eyes flashing.

"Let us pass, elf, you have no right to stop us!" The bravest of the bunch spoke up He was large, even for a _shem_ , and his muddy brown eyes darted around – a tell-tale sign of his underlying fear.

"No? We will have to see about that, won't we?" Tamlen said slyly as he was joined by a female elf with raven hair. As she padded silently to stand beside her friend, she too trained her bow on the humans. 

"You're just in time, Sabari. I found these... _humans_ lurking in the bushes. Bandits, no doubt," Tamlen informed his friend.

"W-we aren't bandits," the overweight human stammered. "We were on our w-way to L-l-lothering."

The dark haired female laughed, "Lothering is more than a week’s journey from here, and you have no provisions. Tell us the real reason, _shem_!" 

"Please, don't hurt us!" the smallest human pleaded.

"You _shemlen_ are pathetic. I find it difficult to believe that weaklings such as you were the ones to drive us from our homeland in the first place!” Tamlen laughed harshly.

"We've never done anything to you Dalish! We didn't even know this forest was yours!" the brave one protested.

"Fool, this forest isn't _ours_! **B** ut you've stumbled too close to our camp. You _shemlen_ are like vermin, we can't trust you not to make trouble," Tamlen spat hatefully.

"What do you say _Da'vhenan_? What should we do with them?" he asked his dark-haired friend affectionately.

His companion's full lips curved into a smile. Green eyes flashed his way, and her voice was laced with malice and disdain when she spoke. "I say we kill them. The others will never know."

"I like the sound of that! Do you _shems_ have anything to say in your defense?" Tamlen asked fiercely, the string of his bow creaking as he tightened it.

"L-l-look we didn't come here to cause trouble! Somebody told us of a cave here with ruins inside filled with Elven treasure..." the short one sputtered.

"Hah, so you are more akin to thieves than bandits," Tamlen interrupted him.

"I know this part of the forest well, I have never come across a cave like this - you lie!" Sabari accused.

"We-we have proof! Here, look." The man held out a stone for Tamlen to see – the elf snatched it from the man's pudgy hands. 

Tamlen rolled the stone over in his hands. Its smooth, brown surface was cool to the touch and he felt smooth and intricate etchings that spiraled over the surface. “This stone… is that elvish? Written elvish?” Tamlen’s shock was evident in his voice.  

"There's more inside the cave,” the pudgy man said, pleased that the stone had impressed the elf.

"We didn't get very far in, though..." the brave man added. Sabari raised an eyebrow.

"Why not?" she queried.

"There... was a demon. It was huge! With big black eyes! Thank the Maker we were able to get out in time!" the shorter man said quickly, shuddering at the memory.

"A demon, you say," Tamlen mused out loud. "Where is this cave?" 

"Off to the west , it's just past the river. There's an opening in the rock face there, and just inside there is a tunnel," the fat one explained hastily.

"Now, please... let us go," the short one pleaded.

"What do you think, _Da'vhe_ _nan_? Should we let them go?" Tamlen asked. Sabari surveyed the three men.

"I think we can let one of them go, assuming he will never speak of this place again. Should he find that his tongue wags too much,  he will find out how empty his mouth will feel in it's absence." she replied simply.The pudgy man started to weep. "N-n-no please d-don't..." 

Sabari let her arrow fly straight through the man's heart. Tamlen followed suit and the shortest man dropped to the ground. She turned her smoldering gaze to the last man.

"Now go, _shem,_ and forget this place! If others come, I will hunt you down like the vermin you are,” she said menacingly. The man had never seen anything so frighteningly beautiful in his life and he jumped up as if he had been scalded and ran crashing through the woods. Sabari sighed remorsefully at the two remaining men.

"We do what we must to protect the clan," Tamlen told her, placing a comforting hand on her own.

"I just wish we had a way to bury them. It seems cruel to just leave them here - even _shemlen_  deserve to find their way into the beyond." She murmured. 

Tamlen gave his life-long friend a fond look. " _Dareth_ _shiral,"_  he said, taking a moment to kneel over each man as he gently closed their eyes. Sabari bowed her head out of respect for Falon'Din but didn't offer a prayer -deciding she wanted to be elsewhere, Sabari turned to set off further into the forest,Tamlen followed close behind. 

 

(-IOI-)

 

"Now, what do you suppose we do about this cave _Da'vhenan_?" Tamlen asked, flashing Sabari a wicked grin as they walked through the towering trees of the Brecilian forest.

"I _suppose_ we shouldtell the Keeper but where is the fun in that? I mean, before we tell anyone, shouldn't we make sure it's even a real cave with real treasure?" Sabari gave him an impish grin. 

"You are right," Tamlen agreed, chuckling to himself. "Has anyone ever told you that you look beautiful when you're plotting mischief?" he asked playfully. Sabari blushed and was immediately grateful for her dusky skin. Tamlen and Sabari had been inseparable since they were younglings. Recently, Tamlen had been quite flirtatious - Sabari loved the attention secretly, though she always tried to brush off his advances like they were nothing. Sabari adored Tamlen and assumed he would ask her to be his mate. 

"Has anyone ever mentioned to you that women prefer subtly, dear Tamlen?" she asked him with a smirk.

"I believe you just have, _Da'vhenan_ , however, I'm not very good at subtly so you will just have to smile and endure my affections!" With a laugh, Tamlen scooped her up off the ground. "Now come, let's find this cave!" 

Sabari and Tamlen wandered towards the western river, taking their time to enjoy the splendor of the forest. It was a beautiful day - the sun shone through the trees casting a mosaic of shadows on the forest floor. 

_Yes it's the perfect day for an adventure_ _,_ Sabari thought to herself with a smile. As they walked, Tamlen regaled her with his tale of the time he and Thalion accidentally wandered into a bear cave. The warm breeze ebbed and flowed, coaxing the leaves on the forest floor into a cyclonic dance around their feet. 

"You should have seen Thalion's face - he was as ashen as a shade! Poor lad, I thought he might wet himself," Tamlen said, laughing.

"Be nice, Tamlen. Not everyone is as _brave_ as you," Sabari scolded him with a wink.

"Speaking of scary creatures, where is that beast of yours?"

Sabari shot him a glare.

"Natu is not a _beast_ _,_ Tamlen! He is a perfectly sweet wolf, and he is probably back at camp napping on your favorite breeches," she replied indignantly.

"If he is, he will be getting a toss in the river," quipped Tamlen. 

The duo rounded a corner and the path wound lower to travel close to the river. It was one of their favorites spots – the water was slower and more serene here, and on a day such as this it sparkled brilliantly in the sunlight. An ancient oak tree’s gnarled branches reached out over the water and offered plenty of shaded places to rest.  

"Hey, weren't you supposed to be assisting Master Ilan today?" Tamlen asked, turning to look at Sabari.

"If by ‘assisting’ you mean being punished, then yes, I was supposed to be," Sabari said with a laugh. Tamlen rolled his eyes and chuckled.

"Typical. What did you do? Wait - never mind! I don't want to know!"

Sabari grinned. "You know me, I got out of it. Besides... I wanted to be with you,” she said lightly. Now it was his turn to blush.

"I thought that might be it, I'm glad," he replied, smiling at her meaningfully. With a cheer he tossed his bow aside, pulled his tunic over his head, cast it to the ground, and sprinted to the river's edge. Without a pause he jumped into the water, making a tremendous splash. As Sabari watched the water cascade off his lean, muscular body, her mind began to turn to lustful thoughts.

 _I wonder what it would be like to kiss him, to feel his touch..._ As she thought about the possibilities, she felt the tips of her pointy ears burning. _Thank the gods he can't read minds._ With a laugh she stripped down to his small clothes and jumped into the river after him.

After their swim they clambered on to the river bank and dried off in morning sun.

"What a glorious day, Sabari - I'm so happy to share it with you. But let us get back to the task at hand; finding that cave," Tamlen said gleefully. They dressed quickly and he led the way. When they arrived at the rocky outcropping the _shem_ had spoken of, Sabari noticed a peculiar tree: its leaves were star shaped and multiple shades of green, Sabari stroked the spindly trunk – it was like alabaster. 

"What a beautiful tree! Tamlen, come look at it - I've never seen one like it before," she marveled.

"Stop gawking at the shrubbery and help me find the entrance," Tamlen replied. Sabari made a face at his back.

"Aha! I've found it! Over here, _Da'vhenan_!" Tamlen shouted from behind a large boulder.

Sabari picked her way over the rocky terrain towards him to stand at his side. In front of them was a large cave opening - the darkness inside gave it an ominous feeling. Tamlen moved to take a step inside. 

"You should probably light a torch or something, Tamlen, unless you have developed the eyesight of a cat overnight?" Sabari teased.

"If I did, I wouldn't tell you. You would be left in the dark wondering, ‘O _h where did Tamlen go? How I wish I didn't make fun of him, he is so marvelous!’"_ Tamlen retorted.

"I see you've been into the keeper’s wine again," Sabari said, rolling her eyes. Tamlen gave her a look of wide-eyed innocence before setting about making a fire 

"See, a little magic comes in handy now and again, doesn't it?" Tamlen smiled at Sabari and their eyes met. His eyes were the same deep blue of the sea that Sabari had been told of, far to the east. She felt her breath catch as they pierced her to her core.

She shook her head to clear it. "Come along, Tamlen, let's check out this cave of yours… unless you're scared?" Sabari prodded him, trying to lighten the mood.

Tamlen laughed and pulled her into the cave after him.

IOI

They crept through the darkness together. This cave seemed rather unremarkable to Sabari - it appeared to just be an old bears' den. She wondered if the _shem_ had been mistaken, after all.

" _Da'vhenan,_ over here! I found the entrance to the ruins!" Tamlen shouted. Sabari hurried over to where he was standing. It was then she noticed the tunnel in the back of the cave.At first glance, she saw nothing of note. After a moment, though, she felt a draft of cold, putrid air, and saw a small tunnel in the back corner of the cave. 

"This must be the way into the ruins, come on!" Tamlen said as he stepped into the tunnel.

Sabari followed him into the dark. The stone walls inside were smooth and cool to the touch. As they walked through the tunnel, the light from the torch cast eerie shadows on the walls. This place gave Sabari a sense of foreboding, and she shivered though it was not cold. They hadn't been walking for long when they saw pale blue light signaling the end of the tunnel. Tamlen's pace quickened in his excitement. They emerged into a large, cavernous area that housed a spectacular and unexpected sight.

"Look at these ruins!" Sabari gasped. What lay in front of them were the crumbling remains of what had been an ancient city. The cavern had an overabundance of lyrium veins casting the ruins in their pale blue light. The towering arches held a mysterious artistry. Tamlen reached out and gently grasped Sabari's hand as they stood there awestruck. Sabari felt her heart flutter.

"Tamlen... it's beautiful," she whispered.

"Isn't it?" Tamlen agreed. They stepped forward into the city, taking it all in.

 _Strange… these ruins seem more human than Elvhen_ _,_ Tamlen mused.

The pair started exploring further into the ruins. Sabari was surprised at how much light the lyrium veins emitted. She trailed slowly after Tamlen as he entered what probably used to be an old temple, thinking that _it must have been simply magical when people lived here. Imagine humans and Elvhen living together in harmony, with no hatred between the two races..._ Sabari was lost in her thoughts when she heard Tamlen call out.

"I can't believe this!" He exclaimed. Sabari came back to reality, and the old spelndor of the hall that Sabari had imagined returned with a jolt to its current and decrepit state. She ambled over to where Tamlen was standing.

"You know what this is, right?" he asked, gesturing at a statue of an elf maiden. It was worn and cracked, but ethereally beautiful in the pale light.

"It is a statue, Tamlen," Sabari stated matter-of-factly.

"Thank you Miss Obvious," Tamlen said dryly. "This looks like human architecture but... with carvings of our people. I wonder if these ruins date back to the time of Arlathan?" he said with renewed vigor.

"It is interesting. So much of our past is lost us," said Sabari sadly. Tamlen looked up the hallway, appreciating the intricate designs on the pillars.

He caught Sabari looking at him with a tender expression.

"We don't have to tell anyone it's here - it can just be for us,” Tamlen told her fondly. Their eyes locked again, and Sabari felt that familiar fluttering in her heart once more as Tamlen raised his hand to stroke her cheek – her skin as soft as the petal of a flower. Sabari's heart pounded with excitement as Tamlen leaned in to kiss her.

The sound of metal scraping against stone interrupted them, making them both jump. Loud moaning echoed up the hallway towards them.

"What in the creator’s name was that?" Tamlen asked, reaching for his bow. Sabari shrugged and reached for her sword. She heard the pull of Tamlen's bowstring. "What the-" Sabari exclaimed as two half-decayed corpses shambled into view, dragging their swords across the stone floors.

_Mythal help us!_

When the corpses caught sight of them they started to charge, lifting their weapons off the ground. _By the gods how is this happening_ , she wondered. The closest one swung at her but she feinted to the left and knocked the creature down with the pommel of her sword. The second one was upon her before she had a chance to react. It lunged towards her face, trying to take a bite at her. Its breath was revolting, and Sabari fought the urge to vomit right there. An arrow whizzed past her face and pierced the monster's head. Sabari shook off the wave of nausea and returned her focus to the remaining creature. It had picked its rotting body off the ground and thrust with its rusted sword at her abdomen. Sabari jumped back and with the reflexes of a cat whirled around. With a fierce yell she swung the sword at the monster's decaying midsection, slicing it in half. It still moved! She drove her blade through its skull, putrid flesh spraying up at her face. Sabari choked back a gag. Tamlen came over and put a hand on her shoulder. 

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Holy Halla! What were those things?" Sabari asked, her hands trembling.

"Walking corpses. It seems this place is haunted," Tamlen affirmed. Sabari nodded in agreement.

"Let's find a way out of here. I am not going back that way."

Tamlen agreed and they continued through the corridor, in the opposite direction from which entered, Sabari noticed a door on the right side of the hall.

"Let’s check this door out," she suggested, "It can't be worse than walking dead things."

Tamlen walked over to the door, uncertainty on his face. When the door opened they were greeted by a flash of light and before they could get their bearings they heard a ferocious snarl. She blinked a few times, her eyes adjusting after the blinding light. When the creature before them came into focus, she shuddered. It looked like a bear, but much bigger with bloody spikes protruding from its back and claws as long and sharp as daggers. It snarled at them again, its yellow eyes gleaming and spittle flying from its jaws. The hairs on Sabari' neck prickled. Without any sort of warning the monster charged at Sabari. Tamlen pushed her out of the way barely missing the creature’s bulk himself. Sabari sprang up and grabbed her sword from its sheath. The creature turned with unnatural agility and bore down on her again. Sabari held her ground. At the last second, she lunged to the right. The creature crashed into the wall behind her and crumpled. Not wasting a second, she hopped onto its back, and slammed her blade between its hulking shoulders. With a savage twist of her blade, Sabari severed the blighted creature's spine. As she rolled neatly off the beast and to her feet, she saw one of Tamlen's arrows drill into its skull. The creature shuddered and was still.

Sabari wiped her blade clean with the sleeve of her tunic. She realized she was trembling. Tamlen dashed over to her and placed his hands on her small shoulders.

"By the creators, what _was_ that thing?" Tamlen asked in horror. Sabari closed her eyes and shook her head.

"I haven't a single idea," she replied shakily. They turned to attend to the room…

It was Tamlen who spotted the only thing of interest first: a tall mirror stood in the center of the room, its reflective face inexplicably clean, despite the centuries’ worth of dust that covered the floor.

  
  


"Do you smell the air, Tamlen? It seems fresher in here. There must be a way out close by..." Sabari informed him. When she heard no reply, Sabari She looked over at Tamlen, but he was staring at the tall mirror, entranced. Sabari watched him walk up to it.

"Look, _Da'vhenan_ …" Tamlen said, enthralled. Sabari glanced at the mirror, not seeing anything particularly remarkable about it. 

"It's beautiful, isn't it? Look: there is some sort of writing on it." Tamlen peered closer into the mirror, his nose almost touching the glass. "I wonder what it says.." His voice trailed off.

“Enough gawking, let’s go. And, I really think you should leave that thing alone.” Sabari tried to keep her tone light, but she’d had chills ever since they entered the ruins and was eager to leave. 

 

"Like we would leave a scratch on it - It's flawless. Don't worry so much, I won't break it." Tamlen's voice had taken on an obscure tone.

Sabari felt a sense of foreboding again. Frowning, she went to stand at his side.

"It is pretty," she admitted.

"Wait a minute, did you see that?" Tamlen asked in shock. Sabari shook her head. Tamlen placed his hand on the mirror.

“Tamlen… I don’t think –” she tugged uselessly on his arm, her subconscious screaming that this mirror couldn’t be anything good. 

 

"C-can you feel that?" he interrupted her. Sabari gave him a worried glance. She did not like this!

"It knows we are here," Tamlen whispered. "It's...it's showing me things."

"Tamlen! You need to get away from it!" Sabari said forcefully. She grabbed his arm trying again to pull him away from the mirror, but he cast her aside.

"It's showing me a great city... underground?" His voice quivered but he still did not look away from the mirror. Sabari picked herself up off the ground and reached for Tamlen's arm again. He was muttering to himself. 

Out of nowhere, his body jolted as if it had been struck by lightning. Sabari cried out, fearing for him.

"It...saw...me!" Tamlen's voice dropped to a raspy whisper.

"What?! Tamlen, for the love of _Mythal_ , step away from that thing!" Sabari tried again to grab him and pull him away but he couldn't budge. It was like the mirror held him place. Tamlen started twitching.

"It saw me. There is only blackness! I-I cannot look away, Sabari! H-h-help me!" Tamlen cried out in agony.

"Tamlen! NO!" Sabari yelled. She felt a pounding in her ears.

A soul-shattering shriek!

Then darkness.

 


End file.
